The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Carey boy on February 06, 2015, 08:25:25 pm

Title: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: Carey boy on February 06, 2015, 08:25:25 pm
Hi,

My mouther in law started to tell me an old wife's tale about goose egg's and valentines day, she could not remember it all (she is 86). Does any one know what it is?


David
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: HesterF on February 06, 2015, 08:39:07 pm
Supposedly it's when they start laying for the year. Maybe you're supposed to eat it in celebration? Mine are always later but I know some others have already had their first eggs.
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: Cheviot on February 07, 2015, 01:47:25 pm
Hi,
The saying is " A good goose should lay by Valentine's Day "
Regards
Sue
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: Carey boy on February 07, 2015, 05:55:05 pm
Hi,

Yes cheviot I do thing that is what she was trying to remember. Thank you both four your help.

David
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: devonlady on February 07, 2015, 08:41:15 pm
Will mention this to my girls tomorrow ;D ;D
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: Clansman on February 09, 2015, 09:30:20 am
Ours started laying bang on Valentines lay last year and the year before.

this weekend we got our first two eggs of the year so their calendar must be out  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: DavidandCollette on February 13, 2015, 09:02:30 am
We got our first egg yesterday. We have inherited a load of Hay some of it a bit Black round the edges.Is it ok to use for goose bbedding :fc:
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: Carey boy on February 13, 2015, 10:23:22 am
I think bad hay is bad hay. Hay can be very dusty, I would not use hay for bedding I like chopped straw or wood shavings.


David
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: kipper on February 13, 2015, 05:36:34 pm
My first year with geese so patiently waiting for an egg
Will they automatically lay in there shed or will I have to go egg hunting   
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: Clansman on February 13, 2015, 08:32:38 pm
They'll most likely make a nest where they like, not where you want them to lay :excited:
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: HesterF on February 14, 2015, 06:39:14 pm
Mine nearly always lay in their shed - just as the ducks do - but they don't have many other options - the rest is open, short grass (once they've been at it). If they've got more overgrown areas, they might prefer that. I think mine are still a way off first egg.....
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: Beeducked on February 14, 2015, 09:11:48 pm
None for me today. :-\  Will have to sulk with them until they provide. ;)
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: kipper on February 15, 2015, 09:33:15 am
HesterF you said yours are still a bit off laying yet ,How do you know that ?
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: HesterF on February 16, 2015, 12:29:00 am
No treading that I'd seen and the ganders were still being OK with me. Not so with each other so they've been separated which top gander is not taking well and spends his entire day pacing the fenceline trying to return to his favourites - the goose I've put him with is clearly not to his liking. But then when I went up this afternoon the younger gander charged me so that's a good sign!
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: hughesy on February 16, 2015, 07:40:43 am
One of ours laid on the 12th, and again on the 14th. Nothing from the others yet. Some of them laid in the autumn so I'm wondering if they might be a bit late because of that.
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: kipper on February 22, 2015, 06:11:41 pm
 How's everyone's geese laying now ? I've still not had anything
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: devonlady on February 22, 2015, 07:14:26 pm
Me neither :( Their beaks are reddening up though :fc:
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: Anke on February 22, 2015, 07:30:38 pm
My pilgrim pair (last year's hatch) are having sex and she is eating the grid/oystershell like it is going out of fashion - but no sign of eggs, nest building or anything.... :-\
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: Womble on February 22, 2015, 08:11:02 pm
Ours were a week late, but I'll take that!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: HesterF on February 22, 2015, 09:16:14 pm
Not yet but they were really late Feb last year and March the previous year. I wonder how area dependent it is? I belong to a FB group for West of England geese and a lot of them have started already but many in the South West where I guess it might be a tad warmer? Horrendous weather here today so I can't say I blame them!
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: hughesy on February 24, 2015, 10:29:11 am
We had our first egg on the 12th, followed by a couple on the 14th and now we've got 5 or 6 laying out of 8 geese. Some of ours laid in the autumn last year and I'm wondering if they are the ones that haven't started yet.
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: Eli on February 25, 2015, 03:05:24 pm
Ours haven't started laying yet, or at least I can't find the eggs if they have started laying. Egg hunt in the hedge every day, kids love it.
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: Paulie on February 25, 2015, 08:42:49 pm
My girls haven't stopped all winter, 2 eggs a day from the 8 of them
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: kipper on February 26, 2015, 08:10:44 am
 Have I got it wrong as I was under the impression geese don't start to lay until mid to end of February and only for about 3 months .?
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: Eli on February 26, 2015, 03:56:30 pm
Found our first one today, in the same place as the laid in the hedge last year.!
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: kipper on March 01, 2015, 08:51:27 am
Hes as crabbit as sin ..... But looking like an egg soon hopefully
Tthe shavings have a nice hollow made now and there a lot noisier than normal so fingers crossed  :fc:

Mind you I dont blame them waiting a bit as Fifes blooming freezing just now
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: waddy on March 01, 2015, 11:47:00 am
Had our first one just before Christmas (from two WOE hatched last May and another a bit younger). The next were late january just dropped anywhere, and we are now up to one a day or one every other day from each of the three geese. They lay in a nest scraped in the shelter of a wall. One egg was an enormous double yolker. I'm going to have to start freezing beaten egg soon for baking when the geese finish. The ganders are generally fine with me. One of them is a bit confused and is in love with me! It is quite comical seeing him chase away rival ganders and return to me acting all triumphant!


 :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Helen


PS. I am in South Somerset.
Title: Re: goose egg's and valentines day
Post by: kipper on March 06, 2015, 09:38:06 am
Yipeee first ever egg from my geese today ,netter late than never